Maxwell v15 12.

4
Multiphysics Coupling – Compact Parallel Plate Capacitor

Compact Parallel Plate Capacitor

This example uses the Electrostatic solver in the ANSYS Maxwell 3D Design
Environment.
It models an electrostatic parallel plate capacitor. The objective of this simulation
is to determine the nominal capacitance and the static electrical stress. The
electric fields will be visualized and the results coupled to ANSYS Mechanical for
a structural analysis.
The model consists of two parallel plates separated by a dielectric, coiled into a
cylindrical package. The package has a diameter of 100mm and a height of
100mm.
The application note covers the drawing of the model as well as the assignment
of material properties and sources. The default Neumann boundaries on the
outer region edges are adequate. The excitation consists of simple voltage
sources. After the final solution is completed, plots are generated for voltage
contours and electric field intensities.

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ANSYS Maxwell Design Environment

The following features of the ANSYS Maxwell Design Environment are used to
create the models covered in this topic
3D Solid Modeling
Primitives: User Defined Primitives, Cylinder
Booleans: Subtract
Boundaries/Excitations
Voltage
Analysis
Electrostatic
Static Structural
Results
Voltage
Stress
Field Overlays:
Voltage
Stress Distribution

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Launching Maxwell
To access Maxwell:
1. Click the Microsoft Start button, select Programs, and select Ansoft >
Maxwell 15.0 and select Maxwell 15.0

Setting Tool Options

To set the tool options:
Note: In order to follow the steps outlined in this example, verify that the
following tool options are set :
1. Select the menu item Tools > Options > Maxwell 3D Options

Maxwell Options Window:

1. Click the General Options tab

Use Wizards for data input when creating new

boundaries:  Checked
Duplicate boundaries/mesh operations with geometry:
 Checked
2. Click the OK button

2. Select the menu item Tools > Options > Modeler Options.

Modeler Options Window:

1. Click the Operation tab

Automatically cover closed polylines:  Checked

2. Click the Display tab

Default transparency = 0.8

3. Click the Drawing tab

Edit property of new primitives:  Checked

4. Click the OK button

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Opening a New Project

To open a new project:
After launching Maxwell, a project will be automatically created. You can
also create a new project using below options.
1. In an Maxwell window, click the  On the Standard toolbar, or
select the menu item File > New.
Select the menu item Project > Insert Maxwell 3D Design, or click on the
icon

Set Solution Type

To set the Solution Type:
Select the menu item Maxwell 3D > Solution Type
Solution Type Window:
1. Choose Electric > Electrostatic

2. Click the OK button

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Set Model Units

To Set the units:
Select the menu item Modeler > Units
Set Model Units:
1. Select Units: mm

2. Click the OK button

Set Default Material

To set the default material:
Using the 3D Modeler Materials toolbar, choose Select
In Select Definition window,
1. Type aluminum in the Search by Name field

2. Click the OK button

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Create Coiled Electrodes

Create First Electrode
Select the menu item Draw > User Defined Primitive > SysLib >
SegmentedHelix > RectHelix
In User Defined Primitive Operation window,
1. RectHeight: 75mm

2. RectWidth: 2mm

3. StartHelixRadius: 12mm

4. RadiusChange: 6mm

5. Pitch: 0 mm

6. Turns: 2.5

7. SegmentsPerTurn: 0

8. RightHanded: 1

To Change Attributes
Select the resulting object from the history tree and goto Properties window
1. Change the name of the object to Electrode_A

2. Change the color of the object to Red

Create Second Electrode

Using same steps as above create object with below parameters
1. RectHeight: 75mm

2. RectWidth: 2mm

3. StartHelixRadius: 15mm

4. RadiusChange: 6mm

5. Pitch: 0 mm

6. Turns: 2

7. SegmentsPerTurn: 0

8. RightHanded: 1

To Change Attributes
Select the resulting object from the history tree and goto Properties window
1. Change the name of the object to Electrode_B

2. Change the color of the object to Blue

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Set Default Material

To set the default material:
Using the 3D Modeler Materials toolbar, choose Select
In Select Definition window,
1. Type polyimide in the Search by Name field

2. Click the OK button

Create Coiled Dielectrics

Create Dielectric Layers
Using same steps as for electrodes, create first layer of dielectric with
below parameters
Dielectric_A
1. RectHeight: 75mm

2. RectWidth: 1.5mm

3. StartHelixRadius: 13.5mm

4. RadiusChange: 6mm

5. Pitch: 0 mm

6. Turns: 2.5

7. SegmentsPerTurn: 0

8. RightHanded: 1

Dielectric_B
1. RectHeight: 75mm

2. RectWidth: 1.5mm

3. StartHelixRadius: 16.5mm

4. RadiusChange: 6mm

5. Pitch: 0 mm

6. Turns: 2

7. SegmentsPerTurn: 0

8. RightHanded: 1

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Fit the layers together

The layers were purposely drawn with some overlap to ensure a snug fit.
Subtract the overlapping areas to finish the layered plates
To Subtract Objects
Select the menu item Edit > Select All
Select the menu item Modeler > Boolean > Subtract
In Subtract window,
Blank Parts: Electrode_A, Electrode_B
Tool Parts: Dielectric_A, Dielectric_B
Clone tool objects before operation:  Checked
Press OK

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Create Container
Create Cylinder
Select the menu item Draw > Cylinder
1. Using Coordinate entry field, enter the center of base

X: 0, Y: 0, Z: -50, Press the Enter key

2. Using Coordinate entry field, enter the radius and height

dX: 50, dY: 0, dZ: 100, Press the Enter key

3. Press OK

To Change Attributes
Select the resulting object from the history tree and goto Properties window
1. Change the name of the object to Can

2. Change the material of the object to Aluminum

To Create Fillets
Select the menu item Edit > Select > Edges or press “E” from the keyboard
Select the top edge of the cylinder as shown in image
Select the menu item Modeler > Fillet
In Fillet Properties window,
Fillet Radius: 6mm
Press OK
Select the menu item Edit > Select > Objects or press “O” from the
keyboard to change selection back to objects

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Create the Inner Fillings

Copy the object Can
Select the object Can from the history tree
Select the menu item Edit > Copy followed by Edit > Paste
Hide All Other Objects
Select the menu item View > Visibility> Active View Visibility
In Active View Visibility window,
1. Check the visibility for Can1 and uncheck for others

2. Press Done

Create Inward
Select the menu item Edit > Select > Faces or press “F” from keyboard
Press Ctrl and select the three faces of Can1 as shown in image
Select the menu item Modeler > Surface > Move Faces > Along Normal
1. Set Distance to -3mm

2. Press OK
3
2

To Change Attributes
Select the object Can1 from the history tree and goto Properties window
1. Change the name of the object to Innards

2. Change the material of the object to Teflon

Select the menu item View > Visibility > Show All > Active View
Subtract Objects
Press Ctrl and select the objects Can and Innards
Select the menu item Modeler > Boolean > Subtract
In Subtract window,
Blank Parts: Can
Tool Parts: Innards
Clone tool objects before operation:  Checked
Press OK

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Specify Excitations
Assign Excitations for Electrode_A
Select the object Electrode_A from the history tree
Select the menu item Maxwell 3D > Excitations > Assign > Voltage
In Voltage Excitation window,
1. Name: Voltage1

2. Value: 25 V

3. Press OK

Assign Excitations for Electrode_B

Select the object Electrode_B from the history tree
Select the menu item Maxwell 3D > Excitations > Assign > Voltage
In Voltage Excitation window,
1. Name: Voltage2

2. Value: 0 V

3. Press OK

Assign Excitations for Can

Select the object Can from the history tree
Select the menu item Maxwell 3D > Excitations > Assign > Floating
In Voltage Excitation window,
1. Name: Floating1

2. Value: 0 C

3. Press OK

Create Solution Region

To Create Region
Select the menu item Draw > Region
In Region window,
1. Padding Data: Pad all directions similarly

2. Padding type: Percentage Offset

3. Value: 200

4. Press OK

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Analysis Setup
To create an analysis setup:
Select the menu item Maxwell 3D > Analysis Setup > Add Solution Setup
Solution Setup Window:
1. Click the OK button to accept all default settings.

Set Capacitance calculation

To calculate Capacitance
Select the menu item Maxwell 3D > Parameters > Assign > Matrix
In Matrix window,
Voltage1
Include:  Checked
Press OK

Note: Leaving Voltage2 unselected constrains it to be held at the 0V

applied to it, making it the reference ground for our two plate capacitor

Save Project
To save the project:
Select the menu item File > Save As.
Save the file with the name: Ex_8_2_Capacitor.mxwl

Model Validation
To validate the model:
Select the menu item Maxwell 3D > Validation Check
Click the Close button
Note: To view any errors or warning messages, use the Message Manager.

Analyze
To start the solution process:
Select the menu item Maxwell 3D > Analyze All

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Solution Data
To view the Solution Data:
Select the menu item Maxwell 3D > Results > Solution Data
To view the Profile:
1. Click the Profile Tab.

To view the Convergence:

1. Click the Convergence Tab

Note: The default view is for convergence is Table. Select

the Plot radio button to view a graphical representations of
the convergence data.
To view the Mesh information:
1. Click the Mesh Statistics Tab

To view capacitance Values

1. Click the Matrix tab

Plot Mesh on Electrodes

Hide Region
Select the object Region from the history tree
Select the menu item View > Visibility > Hide Selection > Active View
To Plot mesh
Press Ctrl and select the objects Electrode_A and Electrode_B from history
tree
Select the menu item Maxwell 3D > Fields > Plot Mesh
In Create Mesh Plot window,
1. Press Done

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Plot the Voltage field on the Global YZ and XY planes

To Plot Voltage on Planes
Expand history tree for Planes and press Ctrl and select the planes
Global:XY and Global:YZ
Select the menu item Maxwell 3D > Fields > Fields > Voltage
In Create Field Plot window,
1. Press Done

Export Geometry
Export Geometry for ANSYS Mechanical
Select the menu item Modeler > Export
Save the file in Parasolid Text Format with the name
“Ex_8_2_capacitor.x_t”

Save and Exit Maxwell

Save File
Select the menu item File > Save
Exit Maxwell
Select the menu item File > Exit

Note: Next section of tutorial shows how forces in Maxwell can be mapped to
ANSYS mechanical to calculate Stress

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ANSYS Mechanical
In this section of tutorial, we will map the forces calculated by Maxwell to ANSYS
Mechanical Static Structural Solver. Solution in ANSYS Mechanical will give final
stress distribution of the objects
Mapping data from Maxwell to ANSYS Mechanical will be done through
Workbench interface

Launch ANSYS Workbench

To Launch ANSYS Workbench
Select the Microsoft Start button and Select Programs > ANSYS 14.0 >
Workbench

Import Maxwell File

To Import Maxwell Project
In Workbench Project window, select the menu item File > Import
Set the file type to Maxwell Project File
Browse to the file Ex_8_2_Capacitor.mxwl and Open it

Create ANSYS Mechanical Design

To Create Static Structural Design
Select a Static Structural Analysis System from Analysis Systems list
Drag and drop it on the Solution tab of Maxwell 3D Design
Drag the geometry tab of Maxwell design and drop it on Geometry tab of
Static Structural Analysis System
Right click on Solution tab of Maxwell 3D Design and Select Update to
update the solution cell
Right click on Geometry tab of Static Structural Analysis System and select
Refresh

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Define Material Database

To Define Material Database
Right click on the tab Engineering Data and select Edit
In Engineering Data window,
1. Select the icon Engineering Data Sources

2. Select the tab General Materials from Data Sources

3. Locate Aluminum Alloy material from the list and select Add

To Define Material Polyimide

Polyimide material is not available in material database. Hence it needs to
be defined by creating new material
Add a new material with the properties shown in below image

Launch ANSYS Mechanical

To Launch ANSYS Mechanical
Right click on Model tab of Static Structural analysis system and select Edit
A tab corresponding to Maxwell data is automatically added in the tree to
enable data mapping

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Setup Geometry
Suppress Unwanted Objects
Expand the Project tree for Geometry under Model
Press Ctrl and select the bodies Can and Innards, right click on the Bodies
and select Suppress Body
This will keep only electrodes and dielectric layers for simulation

Specify Material
Press Ctrl and select the bodies Electrode_A and Electrode_B from the
tree and goto Details View window
In Details View window,
1. Material

Assignment: set to Aluminum Alloy

Similarly assign Polyimide material for the bodies Dielectric_A and

Dielectric_B

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Map Data from Maxwell

To Map Forces from Maxwell
Right click on the Imported Load (Maxwell3DSolution) and select Insert >
Body Force Density
In Details View window,
1. Geometry: Select all bodies

Right click on the tab Body Force Density and select Import Load
Forces calculated in Maxwell be mapped to the mesh in ANSYS
Mechanical
A Summery of mapped Forces is shown below Imported Heat Generation
tab. Scaling factor shown in this summery should be close to 1 to ensure
correct data mapping. If not, mesh needs to be refined in important regions.
To simplify the problem, we will continue without mesh refinement.

Specify Fixed Supports

To Specify Fixed Support
Right click on Static Structural tab from the specification tree and select
Insert > Fixed Support
In Details View window,
1. Geometry:

Change Selection Filter to Faces

Select the faces of the Electrode and Dielectric layers as
shown in below image
Press Apply in details view window

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Create Stress Plot

To Plot Stresses on Electrode_A
Right click on Solution tab from specification tree and select Insert > Stress
> Equivalent (Von-Mises)
In Details View window,
1. Geometry:

Change Selection Filter to Bodies

Select the body corresponding to Electrode_A
Press Apply in details view window
Solve
To Run the Solution
Right click on Solution tab from specification tree and select Solve

Stress Plot
To View Stress Plot
Select the Equivalent Stress plot from specification tree under Solution
Stress distribution on Electrode_A will be displayed on the graphic window

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